Paolo Banchero Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Harper, Bailey, Demin, Wembanyama, Langford

December 3rd, 2024 at 9:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

It’s a mixed bag for the Rutgers’ freshmen duo of Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey so far this season, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo. While Harper is considered a rising prospect and potential top pick, Bailey heads the list of prospects “who still have a lot to show.” The ESPN duo also identifies Houston’s Joseph Tugler, Duke’s Kon Knueppel and Illinois’ Kasparas Jakucionis as risers during college basketball’s first month with an eye toward the 2025 draft.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Duke’s Cooper Flagg may have a new challenger for the top spot — BYU guard Egor Demin is ranked No. 2 among draft prospects by The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie. Why? Vecenie considers Demin’s passing and processing ability to be at an elite level. Harper, Bailey and Jakucionis round out his top five.
No surprise, Victor Wembanyama is ranked No. 1 by ESPN NBA Insiders Tim Bontemps, Bobby Marks, Kevin Pelton and Woo among the top 25 players under the age of 25, based on potential. Anthony Edwards, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Chet Holmgren round out their top five.
Former NBA guard Romeo Langford has parted ways with his French team, BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque, BCM Basketball tweets. Langford last appeared in the NBA in 2022/23 when he played 43 games with San Antonio. The former lottery pick was waived by the Jazz during 2023 training camp.

Magic Notes: Banchero, Wagner, NBA Cup, Carter, Bitadze

December 2nd, 2024 at 7:57am CST by Arthur Hill

Paolo Banchero isn’t close to returning from a torn right oblique he suffered in late October, but he was able to make some progress over the weekend, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Banchero told reporters that he did some ball-handling and spot shooting at Saturday’s practice for the first time since the injury.

“I’m feeling good,” he said. “I finally got to do some court stuff on this trip at practice. It felt really good just to do that stuff again because I literally hadn’t done anything in a month, so it was my first time like really getting to dribble a ball, shoot a ball, so it felt really good doing that. Obviously, wasn’t any sprinting or cutting or anything, but hopefully in the next few weeks I can start getting into more of that and just work my way back into playing shape.”

The Magic have made the recovery process easier for Banchero by playing so well in his absence. Sunday’s win over Brooklyn was their sixth in a row, improving their record to 12-4 since the injury. Banchero has remained close to the team and is trying to learn as much as he can while he’s sidelined.

“Sitting on the bench you’ve got a lot different of a perspective than being on the court,” he said. “You see a lot more, you notice a lot more on both sides. It’s helped me just advance my knowledge. [I’ve] been watching more film, just trying to do what I can to be mentally sharp. Coaches tell you all the time it’s a lot different watching the game on the bench than it is when you’re in-and-out of the game, so I definitely understand what they mean now and it’s been fun just talking to them as well as the players, telling them what I see, how we can be better and what we’re doing well also.”

There’s more from Orlando:

Franz Wagner continued his remarkable play without Banchero on the court, Beede states in the same piece. He had a near triple-double Sunday night with 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists and is averaging 25.1 points, 6.6 assists and 6.1 rebounds over the last 17 games. “He’s just really stepped up to the plate and you can see him getting more and more comfortable,” Banchero said. “He really understood what had to be done with his role being increased. Every game he’s just being really consistent with his leadership, with his output of … the team knows what he’s going to do night in and night out, they know how he’s going to play, what shots he’s going to take, [and] they know he’s going to make the right play every time. So it’s been awesome to watch him and the rest of the team. We’re on a helluva run right now and it’s fun.”
The top spot in East Group A and a guaranteed berth in the knockout round will be on the line Tuesday when the Magic travel to New York, Beede adds. The NBA removed the game from its TNT schedule after Banchero’s injury and a slow start by both teams, but eventually reversed that decision. “I don’t know why they took it off [TNT],” Jalen Suggs said. “I don’t know who didn’t want to watch us play, but just to have it on [national] TV again, being in that environment, in MSG is … Those are things that I think we’ve all grown up watching prime-time games in MSG. We know the stakes that are on the game, outside of all that, but to put it on [national] TV definitely adds a bit of joy to it.”
Since Wendell Carter Jr. returned after missing 12 games with plantar fasciitis, coach Jamahl Mosley has been using him alongside Goga Bitadze in a big starting lineup, Beede observes in a separate story. The combination has been successful, especially on defense as the Magic have two rim protectors on the court together.

Magic Notes: Wagner, Banchero, Carter, Caldwell-Pope

November 22nd, 2024 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Injured Magic star Paolo Banchero had a prophetic line about teammate Franz Wagner in the latest edition of the ongoing diary he’s compiling with Marc J. Spears of Andscape.

“Franz is a pretty naturally, calculated, conservative guy,” Banchero stated. “He never wants to do too much, or he never wants to take the shot over the double team. With me being out, he’s had to do that and he’s done amazing. He’s really stepping into that role, and that’s what you want to see. He just got a max contract over the summer. And he’s playing better than what you’d expect.”

A few hours after the diary was released on Thursday, Wagner grabbed the spotlight in a 119-118 win over the Lakers, capping a late rally with an outrageous game-winning three-pointer. Wagner also posted a career-high 11 assists, along with six rebounds and four steals to give L.A. its first home loss of the season, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel.

“Down two, you never just want to settle for a shot but the way they were playing me … I do work on my off-the-dribble three a lot and you work on that for those moments,” Wagner said. “I stepped into it with confidence and it felt really good.”

There were concerns that Orlando’s season might spiral out of control after Banchero suffered a torn right oblique three weeks ago. Instead, the team is 7-1 in its last eight games, and Wagner has averaged 28.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.9 assists during that time, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic.

“He’s not afraid of big moments,” coach Jamahl Mosley told reporters after the game (Twitter link from Beede). “And that’s what we’ve asked him to do. I could not be happier for this team but for him, who puts in such an amazing amount of work. To see that fall … This group, they battle.”

There’s more on the Magic:

Elsewhere in his diary, Banchero talks about having to deal with a major injury for the first time since he started playing basketball. “It’s been an interesting experience just trying to keep myself engaged mentally,” he said. “Obviously, [the] team’s still doing great. I’ve been happy with the way they’ve been playing. But for me, [it’s about] trying to stay sharp mentally and even though I can’t do much physically, just try to do every little thing I can — whether it’s what I eat, how much sleep I’m getting — whatever I can do to speed up the process and get back whenever the time is right. But also, sooner than later, hopefully.”
Injured center Wendell Carter Jr. missed his 10th straight game Thursday, but he’s showing signs of progress, Beede adds in his game story. Carter was able to participate in part of Tuesday’s practice and was listed as questionable for both games in L.A. “Dell’s [been] able to do a little bit of court work the past couple days,” Mosley said. “He’s progressing according to exactly how he feels, and then we’re just going to keep going off of that.”
According to Beede, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope missed last night’s game because he returned home for the birth of his fifth child.

And-Ones: H. Brown, All-Star Format, ‘Redrafted’ Players, More

November 21st, 2024 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Longtime NBA color commentator Hubie Brown will call one last game for ESPN this season before retiring, ESPN president Burke Magnus stated during an appearance on the SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast (story via SI.com).

“I don’t mean to be purposely mysterious here, but we’re going to honor Hubie this year during the regular season at some point to be determined and send him off in style,” Magnus said. “I don’t think there’s a single human being who’s ever had a longer association with professional basketball.”

A two-time NBA Coach of the Year, Brown began calling games in the 1980s and has been with ESPN since 2004. He turned 91 years old in September.

We have a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

After reporting last week that the NBA is seriously considering turning the All-Star Game into a four-team tournament this February, Shams Charania of ESPN has provided more details on the format. According to Charania, the expectation is that the two semifinal games will have target scores of 40 points, while the final will have a target of 25 points. The idea is to emulate pickup games, with “quick-burst” contests and the winners advancing to the championship.
Defining a “redrafted” player as one who broke out with a second team rather than the club that drafted him, Mark Deeks of HoopsHype identifies nine of the NBA’s top redrafted players, including Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, Raptors wing Ochai Agbaji, and Thunder swingman Isaiah Joe, among others.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report ranks the top 10 non-max contracts in the NBA this season, highlighting a few players who are still on rookie contracts (including recent Rookies of the Year Victor Wembanyama and Paolo Banchero) as well as a handful of veterans (such as Austin Reaves and Derrick White).
NBA insider Jake Fischer, formerly of Yahoo Sports, will be joining Marc Stein’s Substack, Stein confirmed today on Twitter.

Injury Notes: Banchero, Jokic, Wemby, Grizzlies, Knicks

November 19th, 2024 at 2:02pm CST by Luke Adams

When the Magic announced on October 31 that Paolo Banchero had been diagnosed with a torn right oblique, they said he would be reevaluated in four-to-six weeks. However, the expectation was that he would likely be sidelined well beyond that window.

So when will we see Banchero back on the court? If it’s up to the All-Star forward, he’ll make his return in about a month.

“This isn’t from the medical team or anything, but the way I feel and I’ve been feeling, I think before Christmas,” Banchero said, per Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter video link). “Maybe that’s a week before, a couple days before. I think I can get back before Christmas.”

As Banchero acknowledged, the decision will ultimately be up to the Magic’s medical team, so he’ll defer to the experts if they’re not ready to clear him by Christmas.

Orlando lost its first four games after Banchero went down, but has hit its stride as of late, picking up six straight victories and moving into third place in the Eastern Conference at 9-6.

We have more injury updates from around the NBA:

Last season’s Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year will both remain sidelined on Tuesday. Nuggets center Nikola Jokic isn’t injured, but will miss a third consecutive game for personal reasons as his team visits Memphis, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Meanwhile, Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama – who missed Saturday’s loss to Dallas – won’t be available vs. Oklahoma City due to a right knee contusion, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPN.
Grizzlies center Zach Edey (left ankle sprain) will miss a game for the first time this season on Tuesday, joining star guard Ja Morant (right hip subluxation; pelvic muscle strains) on the inactive list vs. Denver. As Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal details, Grizzlies two-way guard Cam Spencer – who has been out all season due to an ankle injury – is inching closer to making his debut, having been cleared for five-on-five action.
Knicks guard Miles McBride has missed the past three games due to what the club is calling right knee inflammation. As Stefan Bondy of The New York Post notes, McBride hyperextended that knee last month, though the Knicks didn’t confirm that the two issues are related. Bondy also provides an update on Precious Achiuwa (hamstring strain), citing a source who is optimistic the big man will be cleared to begin practicing with the team on its five-game road trip that begins Wednesday in Phoenix.

Magic Notes: Banchero, Mosley, Anthony, KCP

November 1st, 2024 at 4:01pm CST by Rory Maher

Magic star forward Paolo Banchero will be sidelined indefinitely after being diagnosed with a torn right oblique. Head coach Jamahl Mosley was understandably disappointed by the news, but he also said it’s an opportunity for other players, per Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.

“It sucks. There’s no other way to put it,” Mosley said. “It sucks for him, the way in which he started this year, the way in which he was playing, the way he’s carrying us in so many ways. And in the same breath, you have to say it’s an opportunity — it’s an opportunity for guys to step up, step into their role, opportunity for guys to continue to play to our standard of basketball.”

Orlando announced that Banchero will be reevaluated in four-to-six weeks. The former No. 1 overall pick is hoping he’ll be back sooner rather than later, Reynolds adds.

“Hopefully, it’s not a multi, three-, four-month injury,” Banchero said. “Hopefully, it’s just six, something weeks. Just trying to stay engaged as much as I can and stay positive, take it one day at a time and be ready to come back.”

Here’s more on the Magic:

Since Banchero is such a huge part of Orlando’s offense, particularly in half-court settings, Josh Robbins of The Athletic suggests the team might look to push the pace a bit more while he’s sidelined. Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs are obvious candidates for more play-making duties, but multiple players will have to step up offensively, Robbins notes.
Reserve guard Cole Anthony, who played 81 games last season, received a rare DNP-CD in Wednesday’s loss to Chicago. He said the reason he didn’t play was simple, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. “I mean, I’ve been playing like [expletive],” Anthony said. “It’s not really that much to it.” In four games this season, Anthony is averaging just 2.0 PPG while shooting 3-of-16 from the floor (18.8%) in 14.0 MPG. The 24-year-old said Mosley informed him of the decision before the game, and while it wasn’t an easy conversation, he said he has a great relationship with his coach. “I’m going to continue working … and at some point, I’m hopeful I get an opportunity out there,” Anthony said, per Beede. “I’ll be ready to hoop.”
Veteran wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope told Marc J. Spears of Andscape it was a difficult decision to leave the Nuggets in free agency, but he has no regrets about signing a three-year, $66MM contract with the Magic. “It was hard. We gave them the opportunity, but things happen,” Caldwell-Pope said. “I let my agent, Rich Paul, handle all that. But my agent always told me, ‘This is a business at the end of the day.’ I got to figure out what’s going to make me happy, what fits best for me and my family … I was part of the first [Nuggets title] in almost like 40-something years. Of, course everybody that was on that team that year is going to be a part of that championship going down in history. It’s just always a blessing and I’m thankful just to be a part of stuff like that and to also play a major role in it.”

Paolo Banchero Out Indefinitely With Torn Oblique

October 31st, 2024 at 8:52pm CST by Luke Adams

Magic forward Paolo Banchero will be sidelined indefinitely after being diagnosed with a torn right oblique, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

According to Charania, Banchero – who was initially listed as questionable for Friday’s game due to a right abdominal strain – will be reevaluated in four-to-six weeks. His return to play will depend on how he responds to treatment, Charania adds.

The Magic have put out a press release (via Twitter) that formally confirms Charania’s report.

It’s an unfortunate turn of events for Banchero, who appeared to be taking another leap forward after earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2022/23 and making his first All-Star team in ’23/24.

After averaging 22.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in 35.0 minutes per game across 80 starts last season, the former No. 1 overall pick had increased those averages to 29.0 PPG, 8.8 RPG, and 5.6 APG in his first five outings this season. He set a new career high on Monday when he went off for 50 points in a win over Indiana.

Even if he makes a speedy recovery, Banchero is unlikely to return until at least December, which will almost certainly make him ineligible for major end-of-season awards, including an All-NBA spot, as a result of the league’s 65-game rule. He only missed 12 total games in his first two NBA seasons.

The Magic, meanwhile, will have to get by without their top scorer and one of their best play-makers for the foreseeable future. Franz Wagner, who is considered questionable to suit up on Friday to due to an illness, will be in line for more minutes and more offensive responsibilities.

Moritz Wagner, Jonathan Isaac, Caleb Houstan, and Jett Howard are among the other candidates for increased roles with Banchero unavailable.

Injury Notes: Bane, Smart, Banchero, LaVine, Towns, More

October 31st, 2024 at 5:50pm CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies‘ injury list continues to grow, as the club has ruled out Desmond Bane (right oblique strain) and Marcus Smart (right ankle sprain) for Thursday’s contest vs. Milwaukee after they sustained injuries in the first game of their back-to-back set on Wednesday against Brooklyn (Twitter link).

Head coach Taylor Jenkins told reporters, including Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian (Twitter link), that both players underwent imaging on Thursday, but that the team is still waiting to get the results and to speak to doctors about the severity of the injuries.

As Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes tweets, oblique strains like the one Bane suffered typically cost players multiple games — the average time missed with an oblique strain, according to Stotts’ injury database, is 11.6 days (4.2 games).

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Magic forward Paolo Banchero is off to a hot start this season, averaging 29.0 points and 8.8 rebounds in his first five games, but he may not be able to suit up on Friday in a postseason rematch. According to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), Banchero has been diagnosed with a right abdominal strain and is listed as questionable to play vs. Cleveland.
Further testing confirmed that Zach LaVine has sustained a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network, who tweets that the Bulls guard is considered questionable to play against Brooklyn on Friday.
On the heels of his best game of the season, Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns is being listed as questionable for Friday’s game in Detroit due to a sprained left wrist.
Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (right shoulder strain) and guard CJ McCollum (right adductor soreness) will be reevaluated on Friday in New Orleans, per Andrew Lopez of ESPN (Twitter link), but the duo has already been ruled out for tomorrow’s game vs. Indiana, the club announced in a press release.
Thunder forward Kenrich Williams, who underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his knee in September, is making progress toward a return. He was assigned to the Oklahoma City Blue on Wednesday to practice with the Thunder’s G League affiliate, according to the team.

Southeast Notes: Banchero, Hawks, Kuzma, Coulibaly, Wizards, Hornets

October 30th, 2024 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

The Magic are off to a strong 3-1 start this season, led by forward Paolo Banchero, who ranks first on the team in points (28.5 PPG) and assists (6.0 APG) and second in rebounds (9.3 RPG).

Banchero filled up the stat sheet on Monday in the best game of his career, compiling 50 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists in a narrow home victory over Indiana. The 21-year-old became the youngest player to record at least 50 points and 10 rebounds in a game since LeBron James did it at age 20 in March 2005, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel.

“It was one of those games where you’re just watching and you’re coaching but you’re sitting there just enjoying his process and watching a great player perform,” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said.

Orlando exercised its fourth-year option for the 2025/26 season on Banchero earlier this month. That option will guarantee the former No. 1 overall pick a $15.3MM salary next season, but his continued ascent puts him on track for a much larger payday in the not-too-distant future — he’ll be eligible for a rookie scale extension beginning in July 2025 and seems likely to receive a maximum-salary offer from the Magic at that time.

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

The Hawks‘ depth is being tested just one week into the 2024/25 season, writes Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta issued injury updates on four players on Tuesday and also didn’t have Onyeka Okongwu (left big toe injury management) or De’Andre Hunter (right knee inflammation) available for Monday’s loss to Washington. The good news is that Okongwu isn’t on the injury report for Wednesday’s rematch in D.C., while Hunter is considered questionable.
Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma sustained a right groin strain in Monday’s game against Atlanta, according to the team (Twitter link). While it’s unclear how much time he might miss as a result of the injury, Kuzma has been ruled out at least for Wednesday’s rematch vs. the Hawks.
Four rival NBA talent evaluators who spoke to Josh Robbins of The Athletic about 2023 lottery pick Bilal Coulibaly are intrigued by his potential but view the Wizards forward as someone whose future is difficult to project. “I’m not ruling him in or out in terms of whether he was a good pick. (It’s) too soon,” one scout said. “But I’d say the arrow’s pointing upward.”
The Wizards‘ and Hornets‘ G League affiliates have formally announced their training camp rosters. The Capital City Go-Go’s squad includes former NBA lottery pick Kira Lewis Jr. and five-year NBA veteran Jaylen Nowell, while 10-year NBA veteran Kent Bazemore is the most notable name in camp with the Greensboro Swarm.

Southeast Notes: J. Johnson, Suggs, Ball, Mann, Okongwu, Banchero, Miller

October 25th, 2024 at 12:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jalen Johnson‘s five-year extension with the Hawks was one of the last deals to be announced on Monday because the paperwork reached the league office just minutes before the 5:00 pm Central deadline, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN. In an article co-written with Tim Bontemps, Windhorst states that the two sides didn’t come to an agreement until after Jalen Suggs reached an extension with the Magic. Both teams slightly increased their offers to get the deals finalized, sources tell Windhorst.

He adds that Hawks officials were relieved to get Johnson to commit to a five-year arrangement with no player option. Johnson is coming off a breakthrough season in which he averaged 16.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 56 games, and at 23 he’s viewed as one of the young cornerstones of the franchise.

Scouts and executives from rival teams were impressed that Atlanta and Orlando were able to sign their young stars to contracts that will become less burdensome over time, Bontemps adds. The salary cap is projected to increase by up to 10% each season, but Johnson’s deal will stay flat at $30MM for each of the next five years, while Suggs’ salary starts at $35MM next season and declines until it reaches $26.7MM in 2029/30.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is wearing strong ankle braces to help avoid the injury problems that have ended his last two seasons, Bontemps reveals in the same piece. Ball was impressive with 34 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists in the season opener, and he got help from Tre Mann, who contributed 24 points off the bench and could be in line for a breakout season after being acquired from Oklahoma City in February. Sources tell Bontemps that Mann had offseason talks about a rookie scale extension with Charlotte, but wasn’t able to come to an agreement.
Center Onyeka Okongwu sparked the Hawks with 28 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in an opening night win over Brooklyn. He was happy to be able to play 28 minutes after missing time late last season with a toe injury and being used sparingly during the preseason, per Lauren Williams of The Journal-Constitution. “That was my main concern, just coming into this season,” Okongwu said. “It was my conditioning. I was blessed to spend my summer getting right, but I felt really good out there and I’m just happy we got the win.”
Magic forward Paolo Banchero has released the first installment of this year’s Andscape diary with Marc J. Spears. Banchero talks about growing up in Seattle, the adjustment to Orlando, the playoff series with Cleveland, advice from Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic and a few other topics.
Brandon Miller will be reevaluated in a week after being forced out of Wednesday’s opener with a glute strain, the Hornets announced (via Twitter). Head coach Charles Lee talked to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer about the challenge of replacing Miller.